Curb Your Enthusiasm Episodes That Define Its Signature Humor

While it might have adopted Seinfeld as Larry David’s second main TV sequence, Curb Your Enthusiasm has essentially the most distinctive voice of any TV sequence of the trendy period.

While set nearly totally in Los Angeles, Curb has a really New York-centric and Jewish sensibility. And on the middle of all of it is Larry David, taking part in a probably-not-that-exaggerated model of himself.

The present began in October of 1999 as a one-off HBO particular, meant to depict the return to stand-up comedy of Larry David, greatest recognized at that time because the co-creator of Seinfeld.

He was taking part in a model of Larry, who’s independently rich but seemingly by no means removed from a confrontation about one thing small.

It quickly turned a surprisingly long-running comedy sequence, as its remaining season launched in February of 2024, practically 25 years after that particular.

Curb, because the present is commonly referred to as, weathered quite a few adjustments all through its future, from enhancements within the high quality of the cinematography to vital shifts in how subscribers watch HBO.

But some issues have not modified throughout the run.

That humorous music, the improvised comedy fashion, and Larry himself, whose on-screen persona has remained the identical and can seemingly at all times be.

Larry is a caustic, typically offended man who would not behave himself in social conditions and would not appear too apprehensive concerning the emotions of others or the results of his actions.

The sequence has by no means been afraid to do issues and go locations the place no TV present has ever tread earlier than.

Among the issues Curb has at all times been uniquely unafraid of constructing its star unlikable whereas additionally profiting from his chemistry with sure actors, utilizing visitor stars effectively, and setting up intricate plots.

Beyond that, Curb could be the first vital comedy sequence with no issues about its protagonist showing extremely unlikable.

Of the greater than 100 episodes of Curb which have aired to this point, listed here are the 15 most excellent examples of its distinctive fashion, which by no means worries that we’ll discover Larry loathsome or unreasonable.

“Trick or Treat” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 2 Episode 3)

Larry might have a reported web price within the a whole lot of thousands and thousands, however that does not imply he will not get right into a struggle over one thing as meaningless as Halloween sweet.

On Halloween, Larry refuses to present Halloween sweet to women who aren’t in costume (“It doesn’t mean you’re allowed to go to people’s homes and bilk them out of candy.”)

Soon, they vandalize his home and, offering a template for Curb that may final for years, the plots finally intersect.

As in lots of Curb episodes, this one has Larry doing one thing that may in all probability make you suppose he is a jerk if somebody you knew did it in actual life. Most sequence could be afraid to do it, particularly that early in its run.

“Palestinian Chicken” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8 Episode 3)

Many sequence would worry making an attempt to mine comedy from one thing fraught just like the Israeli-Palestinian battle. But Curb dove headlong into it with a memorable Season 8 plot.

Larry and Jeff (Jeff Garlin) uncover a Palestinian restaurant that serves implausible rooster. Larry quickly embarks on an affair with a girl who works there and invokes the battle whereas in mattress with him.

Soon, Larry should select between the Jewish group and his beloved rooster.

Jewish humor is a giant a part of what Curb is about, and this episode, amongst many others, confirmed simply how adept David was at leveraging Judaism for comedy. Larry’s then-friend, Alan Dershowitz, even as soon as proposed making an attempt to get the episode to the leaders of Israel and Palestine.

“Mister Softee” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 8 Episode 9)

The better of the run of Season 8 episodes that had the characters in New York, this one includes a redemptive cameo from Boston Red Sox World Series goat Bill Buckner, buried reminiscences of the titular ice cream truck, and a supporting position from longtime comedy stalwart Robert Smigel.

Smigel, very memorably, performs his half with the identical voice as his Triumph the Insult Comic Dog character, one other touchstone of the Jewish comedy of the mid-Twentieth century.

This one confirmed that whether or not it was a non-actor like Buckner or a longtime professional like Smigel, Curb can convey nearly anybody into its universe and leverage them in hilarious methods.

“The Anonymous Donor” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 6 Episode 2)

Part of Curb’s genius is that it might discover relatable comedy within the issues and actions of the very wealthy. One of the higher examples is that this one, by which Larry and his pal Ted Danson donate to an environmental charity.

But whereas Larry put his identify on the wall, Danson donated “anonymously,” although he informed everybody he was doing it.

Their argument could be priceless, even when it did not come proper in entrance of Senator Barbara Boxer in one of many sequence’ higher cameos by a non-actor.

This episode made wonderful use of Danson, seemingly a pleasant man however who has persistently appeared on Curb as a way more smug and irritable model of himself.

“Krazee-Eyez Killa” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 3 Episode 8)

This episode, from early within the sequence run, had Larry interacting with Krazee-Eyez Killa (Chris Williams), a well-known rapper who, on the time, was engaged to his pal Wanda Sykes.

Larry provides him lyrical recommendation, resulting in the coining of the catchphrase “Are you my Caucasian,” though the 2 later find yourself at odds.

This one finds Larry out of his component with a hip-hop man once we know he behaves awkwardly sufficient when he is in his component.

“Foisted!” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 9 Episode 1)

After Curb went six years with no new episode, it returned in 2017 with an arc involving Larry writing a play concerning the Iranian Ayatollah’s fatwa towards Salman Rushdie, which results in one other fatwa towards David himself.

Once once more, a overseas demise decree is not typically performed for comedy, however Larry David discovered a means.

But this episode is most memorable for an alternate between Larry and his longtime pal Richard Lewis, who objects when Larry texts him after the demise of his parakeet (“Sorry about your bird- the good news is, I’m still alive.”)

Whether it is a visitor star like Martin Short or a forged mainstay like Bob Einstein or Lewis, Curb has at all times discovered nice moments in Larry arguing with one different person- even when it is somebody who’s his lifelong pal.

The Grand Opening” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 3 Episode 10)

Many completely different seasons of Curb arrange a year-long arc by which Larry pursues a brand new enterprise alternative, and in Season 3, it was a brand new restaurant that he and his mates had invested in.

The episode ends with the restaurant hiring a chef who has Tourette’s Syndrome, resulting in a remaining scene by which everybody within the restaurant screams artistic curse phrases at each other.

Being on HBO definitely helped, however having your complete forged yell unhealthy phrases at one another was one thing no different TV sequence had ever tried.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the restaurant is rarely talked about within the sequence once more after this episode, simply as a lot of the tasks, from TV pilots to the “spite store,” by no means come to fruition.

“Meet the Blacks” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 6 Episode 1)

The episode launched the household, with the final identify Black, whom Larry and his then-wife Cheryl (Cheryl Hines) took in after a hurricane, though Leon (JB Smoove) would not present up till later.

Once once more, taking in hurricane refugees is the furthest factor possible from a standard sitcom plot, however Curb pulled it off.

But the episode is greatest recognized when Larry discovers the cake he is been having fun with had been bought from an erotic bakery. It’s one other of Curb’s logos: a plot that builds itself up earlier than paying off gloriously.

“Beloved Aunt” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 1 Episode 8)

This is one other one that may by no means work on community TV, particularly the language.

This episode from the primary season is constructed across the worst typo possible: Larry submits an obituary to a newspaper for his spouse’s aunt, just for the phrase “aunt” to be misspelled, with a “c” as a substitute of an “a.” (I’m simply glad you were not answerable for the gravestone!”)

Larry and Cheryl have been divorced since comparatively early within the run, though Larry’s clashes together with her household have been a giant a part of the present in its early days.

“Shaq” (Season 2 Episode 8)

Sitcoms have at all times made frequent use of cameos from sports activities stars. But Curb did one thing distinctive with Shaquille O’Neal, making Larry liable for his harm.

Larry finally ends up drawing the ire of your complete metropolis of Los Angeles when placing his ft out whereas sitting in Jeff’s courtside seats; he inadvertently causes an harm to Shaq, a Lakers famous person on the time.

It’s a uncommon episode when Larry makes issues proper when he presents Shaq a whole Seinfeld field set- and will get the group physician fired for dishonest at Scattergories.

It’s one other instance of the present’s delicate contact with visitor stars, even counterintuitive ones. As for Shaq, he proved a compelling on-camera presence, foreshadowing his lengthy TV profession to return.

“The Table Read” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 7 Episode 9)

This is one other episode that takes benefit of HBO’s allowance for soiled phrases.

This is from the season when the Seinfeld forged reunited. Its most well-known second is undoubtedly when Larry’s pal Marty Funkhauser (Bob Einstein) has an opportunity to fulfill Jerry Seinfeld and tells him an extended, filthy joke.

The clip of the joke was shared very broadly after Einstein died in 2019 and was humorous on a number of ranges: The joke itself, the concept that Marty is assembly a well-known comic and telling him THAT joke, and Larry’s exacerbated response.

“Igor, Gregor and Timor” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11 Episode 9)

One of the present’s greatest latter-day episodes, that includes Larry and Jeff making an attempt to do an errand in downtown Los Angeles and having to repeatedly take care of a trio of heavily-accented males, performed by Bill Hader, who maintain utilizing the phrase “shplendid.”

Why is “shplendind” so humorous? Because that is how this present rolls.

It’s one thing else Curb does very effectively, sketching out an absurd premise and asking the viewers to go together with it.

“The Lefty Call” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 6 Episode 4)

Another one which powerfully makes use of the native-HBO means to make use of foul language.

Probably one of the best Larry-and-Leon second of the sequence is when Leon provides Larry recommendation on how greatest to take care of a person who dropped slurs on him.

“You spraypaint ‘Larry was here,'” in addition to rather more vulgar recommendation. “That’s how you handle people.”

“Larry vs. Michael J. Fox” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 9 Episode 8)

Not many reveals would take the danger of placing its protagonist up towards a beloved entertainer like Michael J. Fox, a lot much less one with Parkinson’s Disease. But Curb confirmed no such hesitation.

The legendary actor guest-stars as himself, getting right into a sequence of skirmishes with Larry.

The episode additionally has a number of references to Hitler and swastikas, in addition to the flamboyant son of Larry’s girlfriend (Ana Gasteyer).

“The Freak Book” (Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 6 Episode 5)

This episode highlights the distinctive, bickering friendship between Larry and Ted and Larry doing a nontraditional job.

Larry presents Ted a e-book referred to as “Mondo Freaks,” which is the supply of a lot humor, although Larry and Jeff discover it a lot funnier than Ted. Meanwhile, a drunken limo driver (Toby Huss) breaks into Ted’s occasion (“Happy birthday, Becker!”)

This results in Larry having to step in and turn into a limo driver, as soon as once more drawing humor from taking him out of his component.